


of costumes and ghosts

by elletromil, InsaneRedDragon



Series: bound by little things [2]
Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Ghosts, Halloween, M/M, Timestamp
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-31
Updated: 2017-10-31
Packaged: 2019-01-26 07:35:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12552416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elletromil/pseuds/elletromil, https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsaneRedDragon/pseuds/InsaneRedDragon
Summary: “Ye must be the poorest excuse of a hellhound I’ve ever seen.”“Not a hound, just a familiar.”“Our Cinead got himself a familiar!”--It's Halloween night when spirits and demons alike can roam free, unbound by the laws that usually govern them.





	of costumes and ghosts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hepcatliz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hepcatliz/gifts), [Skyefallen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skyefallen/gifts).



> Here's the first timestamp in this little verse of ours. Not all of them are going to be themed like this one, but since that one was written, we thought we would start the ball with it ;)
> 
> Enjoy the story :D

There were times of the year where a magic as old as the world itself was at work, where traditions were to be respected by anyone for their own safety.

Halloween night is such a time, even if Eggsy had not been aware of its name before. He just knew of a time each year during the fall where spirits and demons alike could roam free, mostly unbound by the laws that usually governed them. In the sanctuary of the estate, they were quite protected from the latter, but Eggsy had witnessed the passage of several spirits in all his years there.

Anyway, as a familiar, Eggsy actually had very little to fear from demons, even if he was to go look for one.

A fact neither Merlin nor Harry seemed able to understand.

“Seriously, I don’t need a costume!” Especially not if it is something ridiculous like Merlin’s Mummy or Harry’s Frankenstein. “I’m not really human, I wouldn’t get attacked or abducted or… whatever it is you’re imagining! Not to mention we’ll be staying in the forest! Sure for you both it’s better to be safe than sorry, but this is first and foremost a sanctuary for  _my_ kind. The ancient soul wouldn’t let anything happen to me.”

The ancient soul would probably protect Merlin and Harry too if it came to that, but if they were to find that flower that only bloomed on this very night quicker than expected, they might want to leave the estate for some reason or another.  _ Then_, they would both really need to travel in guise in order not to attract unwanted supernatural attention.

“If it reassures you, I’ll stay as a dog even, but I ain’t putting that thing on!”

He feels kind of bad for Harry to have wasted time on something he refuses to wear, but really the man should have asked first. He wouldn’t let them convince him to wear the silly devil costume for anything in the world.

The two men finally realise that he won’t budge from his position and after exchanging a look with Harry, Merlin sighs and nods.

“Alright, but you change into a dog now.”

He rolls his eyes, but doesn’t protest. Still, he isn’t really mad about Merlin being such a mother-hen and to make sure his mate knows it, he walks up to him and licks his palm.

He should have known that turning is back on Harry would be a mistake and he growls when he feels something settle on his head.

Unfortunately, Harry has never been afraid of him and he merely laughs when Eggsy snaps his teeth at him in frustration.

“Come on Eggsy, it’s only the horns. That way, you can pretend to be a hellhound for the night and pretending is half the fun after all.”

He imagines for a second really being one of those hellish beasts and just ripping Harry’s grin off of his face, but he shakes off the urge. His friend might be a little shit sometimes, but he  _ cares_. He is so much less tensed now that Eggsy is in a pretense of a costume, that Eggsy finds himself relenting and accepting the compromise.

Satisfied that they all will be as safe as can be, they finally set out into the woods. Eggsy soon separates from them, but still stays within calling distance as they had previously agreed on. He starts sniffing at the air, trying to find the smell of the elusive flowers, Merlin having found a sample for him to smell a few days earlier so he would know what to search for.

Instead of the unusual smell however, he catches the scent of something both familiar and otherworldly and he cautiously makes his way to its provenance. ‘ _Cautiously_ ’, because of course he is protected, but he can still spook a spirit into lashing out if he’s not careful.

He doesn’t need to go that far until he spots a couple of spirits watching over Merlin and Harry’s search in the distance.

He’s never seen them before, but he still recognizes them at once. It’s in the strong shoulders of the man, his obstinate frown and immovable stance. It’s in the woman tall built, the kindness of her expression and dark eyes.

They notice him in return, and the man steps in front of his companion, as if to protect her. She is not having any of it though and she pushes him away so she can take a good look at Eggsy.

“Ye must be the poorest excuse of a hellhound I’ve ever seen.”

Had he truly been one of those beasts, the words might have stung, but really, even without having seen his reflection, he can only agree with her.

He takes human form, not feeling bad about it, since he never promised anything.

But he keeps the horns, if only because he can feel that Harry purposefully chose the materials for their added protection and the gesture is sweet even if unnecessary.

“Not a hound, just a familiar.”

They gasp in amazement at his transformation and the man seems to look out into the empty air for a moment, though Eggsy knows he’s looking directly at the tendrils that link him and Merlin together. He breaks into a smile, visibly pleased with what he sees.

“Our Cinead got himself a familiar!”

Eggsy is confused over the name, but it doesn’t take him long to remember that Merlin is only the name his mate goes by now. And even if he has chosen a new name for himself, his official papers still list him as Cinead Grey, Merlin never having felt like parting with this last link to his family.

“Oh! Marvelous! I hope ye’re taking good care of him.”

“I try, but half the time, he’s the one taking care of me.”

“Good, that’s a true partnership then.” He’s unsure if they realise just to what extent that partnership really goes, right until they grab each other’s hands and lean in for a quick kiss. They wave him closer after that and he goes willingly, knowing that he’s got nothing to fear from them. “What about that lad, Harry?”

It might have been weird to hear her call Harry a lad when she physically looked close to him in age, but those kind of notion were kind of blurry for a familiar.

“He’s still the best friend one could wish to have.”

To both Merlin  _ and _ him. He’s always there to assist Eggsy when he needs help in making Merlin realise he is being too stubborn for his own good. Much as he is always there for Eggsy to lean on when he just needs a moment to get his bearings back. He and Merlin might be mates, but they cannot be each other’s everything.

Harry seems more than happy with the role he’s found himself in, helping when he is needed, offering comfort they don’t realise they need and just being  _ there_, for the good and the bad, sharing in their excitement and their joy, without being a full part of it.

And Eggsy cannot imagine their lives without Harry in the periphery and he doubts Merlin can either.

“Good,” she smiles softly, “he always seemed such a good sort.”

The man snorts and shakes his head, clearly amused.

“Ye mostly saw him sleeping. It would have been hard for him to get up to any mischief in those times.”

“Oh, hush ye! I didn’t ask for yer opinion!”

They start bickering good-naturedly and Eggsy watches them with fond amusement, reminded of the way Merlin and Harry are together.

They don’t keep arguing playfully for long, turning their attention back to him instead.

“Can ye tell us about him? About our boy? We only get this one night each year and he’s never seen us, so we never could ask him.”

There is an old regret in their voice, a bittersweet longing, but nothing that would be dangerous to spirits like them. They’re just being concerned parents and Eggsy is glad to be given a chance to assuage their worries after so many years.

“He’s… He’s a good man. Kind, loyal, determined.  _ Loving_. He makes potions and the likes for a living and he’s a bloody genius about it. He’s got a house in the city and…”

And Eggsy talks and talks and talks, until he can feel a shift in the atmosphere and he suddenly realises that the whole night has gone by already.

Merlin’s parents feel it too of course and they interrupt him for the first time since he’s started telling them everything about their son.

“Thank ye,” they smile and Eggsy’s eyes fill with tears that he doesn’t try to repress.

Merlin’s mother cups his cheek and his father grasps his shoulder gently, both looking serene.

The contact is light as the wind, as sturdy as the earth, more encompassing than the ocean and warms him to his core like a fire in the middle of the night.

It’s a blessing and it’s gratitude and it’s  _ love_.

Eggsy offers them his brightest smile in return through his tears and watches them fade while the sun rises.

“Until next year,” he whispers when he can no longer feel their presence and then sets out to wherever Merlin and Harry have wandered off to.

He finds them in what used to be his territory, sleeping under a tree, leaning against each other, a large bouquet of the flowers held between them. He wakes them and leads them back to the house, keeping close to Merlin.

In fact, he doesn’t leave his side all day, leaning against him at every opportunity and if his mate is clearly curious about his behaviour, he doesn’t ask and Eggsy is grateful.

There are things better left unsaid after all.


End file.
